Legacy of inspirational Jane Tomlinson CBE breaks £10m mark

The family of the late Jane Tomlinson CBE have announced that
the charity that stands as her legacy has raised more than
£10m.

The amazing milestone comes just ahead of the 10th
anniversary of the tragic death of the inspirational amateur
athlete, fundraiser, wife and mother-of-three, who died aged just
43.

Jane, from Leeds, passed away on 3rd September 2007,
almost seven years after being told she had just months to
live.

Jane became a familiar figure worldwide when, despite being
diagnosed with incurable cancer, she took on a series of
seemingly-impossible endeavours.

Her challenges - many undertaken while receiving extremely harsh
chemotherapy treatments and while in severe pain - included a Rome
to Home cycle ride, the New York and London Marathons, an ironman,
and her final adventure, a 4,200-mile ride across the
USA.

Before her death Jane raised a remarkable £1.8m for charity.
Since then, with the support of thousands of fundraisers and
through the Jane Tomlinson Run For All series of sporting events,
the total raised in Jane's name now stands at over £10m.

Jane's widower Mike said today: "I would hope Jane would be
happy with what has now been achieved.

"She raised a lot of money during her lifetime, but for
everything that she went through, for all of her efforts and
everything she endured, it never really seemed enough to me.

"She did a TV interview not long before she died and the
interviewer asked her if it had all been worth it. At the time she
said 'no'.

"If she was still here, I'd like to think she would now say
'yes'."

The incredible fundraising total has seen scores of good causes,
from children's hospices to cancer support centres, receive vital
grants to continue their good works - or establish new projects and
services.

It has also seen the launch of a ground-breaking research
project which it is hoped might help improve the lives of thousands
of cancer patients.

Funds provided by the Appeal, are enabling scientists at Leeds
Beckett University to examine whether a sports medicine technique
(Kinesiology taping - the sort of strapping used by professional
athletes) can reduce the pain and discomfort suffered by cancer
patients.

Jane received the treatment in the last months of her life and
it was her wish to see whether it could benefit others.

Jane's remarkable journey began in August 2000 when, aged just
36, she was diagnosed with incurable breast cancer. The cancer had
returned, with Jane first being diagnosed with the disease 10 years
previously.

Over the next seven years she captured the attention of the
world through her achievements as she outlived her initial six
months' life expectancy. She was determined to show that people
with incurable cancer could still lead active and fulfilling
lives.

With her health declining, her cross-USA ride in 2006 was to
become her last challenge. However, the funds raised paved the way
for the establishment of the first Leeds 10K charity road race. As
well as raising funds for the Jane Tomlinson Appeal, the event was
designed to become a lasting fundraising mechanism for countless
other good causes.

That one event has now grown into an events series, comprising
ten 10Ks, two half marathons, a marathon, a 10 mile run and a
series of junior and family runs, through which Jane's charity and
its event partner charities have now raised more than £10m.

Mike said: "We honestly never expected the Leeds 10K to be the
success it was. When it was clear there was an appetite for it, I
knew I wanted to do more events.

"Jane and the charity's trustees didn't want it; it was a lot of
work. But I knew that we could raise a lot more money than we had.
Jane was all about the challenges - it was my job to get the money
in.

"For us, it was never about creating a legacy for Jane. It was
ensuring that the fundraising could go on; the charities that she
had supported, and many more, still needed us."

After Jane died, Mike campaigned for an end to the health
postcode lottery that saw Jane have to travel to Nottingham for
pioneering cancer treatment that was not available in Leeds.

"We received a lot of platitudes from politicians, but it soon
became apparent that there was no real will or intention to do
anything about this injustice," he said. "So we decided, instead,
that we would concentrate our efforts on what we could achieve -
raising money for charity."

The last 15 years have presented many highs - and inevitable
lows - for Mike and the couple's children, Suzanne, Rebecca and
Steven.

"The last few weeks of Jane's life and, obviously her death, are
the absolute lowest points," he said.

"The high points were watching Jane finishing the Florida
Ironman. It was just inconceivable that this woman, who had been
given months to live, who had never really done any sport, four
years later, was doing this. It seems completely fanciful - and it
was.

"The ride across America was incredible. Jane was struggling
just to stay alive, never mind cycle over 4,000 miles; I will never
know how she did that.

"And, the look on Jane's face when she saw her mum cross the
finish line of the Leeds 10K in 2007; it was the culmination of
five years' of hard work and I'll never forget that."

Despite all Jane achieved - and all that's been accomplished
since - Mike still doesn't acknowledge a sense of pride.

He said: "None of this would have been possible without the
support of lots and lots of people. Without them it would not have
happened. So, no, I'm not proud; I'm just incredibly grateful."